The Changes that Make Us Whole
by Lou Serbio
Summary: I, Robot. Dr. Susan Calvin's biography and P.O.V. during and following the events of the motion picture. Some SpoonerCalvin. read & reviews would be welcomed & appreciated.


[the characters in this story are the property of 20th Century Fox]

November, 23, 2035, a crisp chilly Friday: the lovely young psychiatrist Dr. Susan Althea Calvin was physically and mentally exhausted from her added duties as the Chief Executive Officer of US Robotics. Soon after Lance Robertson had an untimely and abrupt death by the "hands" of the company's central brain, code named VIKI, Susan reluctantly accepted said position and its inherent responsibilities. At this moment however, she was simply tired and hungry, and exited a Thai take-out restaurant with a bag full of dinner for two. She entered her Audi and sped away toward her home.

Along with today's fatigue, came a sense of introspection. The raven-tressed Susan had felt the change since the day of the tragic death of Dr. Alfred Lanning.

Long before, when she was but a small child, little Susie Calvin periodically felt squeamish around people, even her parents. By the time she was six years of age, she was dedicated to science, with a penchant for robotics. Even her first books were those authored by Jules Verne and Isaac Asimov. Unfortunately, that kind of isolation never earned her many friends or social relationships, especially with boys.

For years after, Susan was the intelligent geek with glasses, and the subsequent pestering by her private school classmates augmented her distrust of her own kind. Soon after she turned sixteen, Columbia University called her for enrollment. Once she was accepted, she thought all of that negativity was long forgotten, but unfortunately, the twenty-first century never changed sexism. As a physically attractive yet brilliant female, Susan continued the struggle to attain credibility. Ultimately, she persevered during the course of her education and graduated with a PhD and full honors.

U.S Robotics and Mechanical Men immediately hired Dr. Calvin, who proved to be a worthy selection. For several years, Dr. Lanning mentored her, and in return he received valuable insight into the psyche of the NS-3, the first manufactured robots. Susan Calvin was an infamous pioneer in the practice of Robopsychology, having implemented character functions for Positronic brains.

Then her world was shattered because of one death.

A robot was accused of killing; a violation of the three rules of robots.

Soon after the tragedy, Susan encountered two individuals. The first was homicide Detective Del Spooner, who had a deathbed-like request to investigate the demise of Dr. Lanning. The second individual, never considered a person at first, was the newest model robot, the NS-5. But this one was radically different, and even preferred to be named Sonny.

Her initial focus was on the rugged police officer. His blatant hatred and passive-aggressive attitude toward robots was nothing new, but Dr. Calvin expected more from a law enforcement officer. To her, Detective Spooner was a brash, ignorant, and selfish human being who represented the very reason robots were created.

From this day forward, her journal would fill up with less than scientific information:

_Journal Archive: July 16,. 2035...and having shared the same oxygen alongside Detective Spooner for the better part of the morning, I feel my brain is slowly liquefying. Even this evening, he showed up at my apartment cut and bloodied. I regret not offering him medical assistance, but his inordinate banter caused me to assume that the injuries were inflicted by felines. My PhD is losing credence already._

The next day, examining Sonny was a life-altering revelation for Dr. Calvin. His structure, psyche, and everything else about him was exceptional compared to the average NS-5 robot. While she recorded the findings, Susan chose to visit Detective Spooner.

_Journal Archive_:_ July 17, 2035, I despise his prejudiced, antiquated life, yet I went to his home. Spooner initially seemed to respond to my analysis of Sonny, but his attitude never wavered and basically he ignored me. I neither know why he did not kick me out, nor why did I even stayed in his apartment. After I fumbled around with his ancient audio equipment, he emerged from his room shirtless. He didn't seem too modest and ordinarily I would have been offended, but I noticed the scars, and then I understood. _

_He permitted me to examine his cybernetic arm. I traced its contours with my hands and it was flawless. I heard his breathing pattern and surmised his lung was also replaced. Three of his ribs were also artificial, but I touched a real one._

_He giggled a bit, for I had tickled him._

_Well, I recoiled. I have been long out of functional medical practice, and it was an unprofessional slip. But it triggered his story of how and why he received such surgery; how an NS-4 made a choice between his life and the life of a child. It explained much, and while it is no excuse for his prejudice, I detested him less that night._

Events escalated, a revolution by robots had begun and Susan Calvin and Del Spooner were in the crux of it:

_Journal Entry, July 18, 2035: ...I have never used a weapon of destruction in my life yet he trusted me to back him up as if I were his police partner. I thought he was going to be killed and I helped in any way I could._

When they discovered that V.I.K.I. was the perpetrator behind the revolution, it was only she, the detective and Sonny who could save the planet:

..._they cooperated with each other and risked their lives to save a world full of_ _humans whom they didn't know! After V.I.K.I. was deactivated, we reconvened at the office of Dr. Robertson. While I was saddened to see Lance lying deceased, I was overwhelmed by what had just transpired. It was as if we were living the end of a Hardy Boys book._

_Sonny had confessed to assisting the suicide of my mentor. I expected Detective Spooner to arrest him as the robot asked. Just as I was about to plead his case, recited a technicality: Sonny could not be arrested. I was shocked, and even more so when Del offered his hand in trust and friendship. When I noted that someone in the room finally found a heart, Del assumed it was Sonny to whom I was referring. That assumption by itself showed his strength of character, but no, I was referring to him. He could have been offended, but he simply smiled at me._

_I should consult Sonny one day on the length of time Del and I stared at each other at that moment. _

For weeks after, USR had to rebuild and recover from the tragedy that befell the world. But no one was willing accept responsibility. It was at that point where it befell upon Dr. Calvin to pick up the pieces, but she was not alone:

_Journal Archive, August, 16, 2035: Today, I was inundated with public demands of monetary restitution for the losses of both the NS-4 and NS-5 robots. Detective Spooner stopped by again as per usual and while he usually was of great assistance to me and Sonny in our rebuilding, he couldn't do all that much this time. Del said he could try to call in a few favors and see what he could do to alleviate this dilemma for us...for me. Given the magnitude of the dilemma, I could not have been more appreciative, but it was moot. _

Del continued his Detective work, but the murder rate had gone down considerably since the Revolution. His visits to Dr. Calvin had become more frequent and personal:

_Journal Archive, August 18, 2035: Del invited me to dinner, and after the incessant meetings and conflicts of today, I gladly accepted. Funny, after meeting him only a month ago I never expected to actually _want_ to be in the company of this man. Sonny was the brunt of his prejudice when they first met, but still never felt negatively towards Del the way I initially did. I should never underestimate the wisdom of a child._

_Gee Gee, incidentally, makes a delicious sweet potato pie._

Sonny, still under the microscope from the authorities and the USR board members, had found comfort in the care of Susan and Del. He noticed their paternal roles had somewhat evolved:

_Journal Archive, September, 2, 2035: In Ping Tom Memorial Park, Sonny walked long ahead of us, while Del and I were strolling. The weather was adequate enough for such an exercise. I had not seen Del in a couple of weeks, for we had both been quite busy with our respective jobs. _

_Neither Del nor I were quite sure where our relationship was going until he and I stood face to face. The dumbest dumb person I have ever known was never so aesthetically pleasing to me. Sometimes though, we have to look past the surface, like he did with the childlike robot who shared our company. _

_The breeze caught my hair and Del lightly brushed it away from my face. The only time I gazed at him this much was when his heart was revealed to me, and now his heart revealed itself to me once again. Del leaned down and pressed his lips onto mine. Not many kisses crossed my mouth in my life. Those few were not even worth journalizing until today. His approach was as if he knew what kind of kiss I would accept._

_Sonny, in his own charming manner, casually interrupted us to ask why our hormone levels were elevated and why our lips were stuck together. I went on to explain what we were doing; I had to. But Del seemed to be a little embarrassed and I must quote, "Made a black man blush." We had not yet intended to educate Sonny on physical, sexual attraction, but this was how it came to be. _

_27.9 seconds. Sonny informed me that was the length of time Del and I first stared at each other._

After a short drive, Dr. Calvin's car steered through a parking garage, parked, and she emerged from her vehicle. The elevator took her up to the floor of her apartment. She lightly yawned and walked towards her door and entered.

The apartment was partly illuminated, contributed by the flicker of her wide screen television. She set the bag of food on the table near her door and called out.

"Del? Sonny? Are you guys here?"

She walked through the apartment into her den. Sitting on her couch was Del and the opaque robot Sonny. The NS-5 was stoic and non-speaking. Del rested his index finger across his lips to hush her, "Sonny is sleeping."

"Glad to see you're sensitive to his needs," she said with a smile.

"Hey, now, he's a good kid!" Del agreed, stood up from the couch and kissed the woman he never though he'd kiss. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I know you," she playfully said.

"My Archie Bunker tendencies toward robots are gone," he admitted while he inhaled some of the aroma she brought home.

"Archie who, now?"

He gravitated towards the bag of Thai food. "You bought dinner?"

"You hate my cooking," she said. "And I don't like to use Sonny as my chef."

"He's learning a lot from Gee Gee, though," Del noted. "Maybe he would want to cook something for us someday."

"Someday, but not any time soon; he needs to know what it is like to be..."

"Okay, okay, I get it," he politely stalled her. "Love ya, girl, but let's eat."

"You get the forks. I need to change clothes."

They separated to carry out their tasks. She walked past Sonny as he rested on the couch, lightly patted his head and entered her bedroom.

She pulled on a pair of sweatpants and tee shirt, but noticed her computer and sat down in front of it. "Switch to manual," she commanded and then typed on the key-touch pad.

_Journal Entry, November, 23, 2035: God, am I exhausted. The board members really bombarded me today with their take on the NS-6 prototype but I guess I held up well. It is especially good to be home with my family. Family, I cannot believe I just typed this word into my once science journal. How did it flow so naturally from my mind to my fingers? I guess for once, I was given a gift other than intelligence, for I cannot imagine living my life without Del and Sonny. _

Del leaned in to the room where he saw her seated by her computer.

"Suzie, unless you want to nuke our food I suggest you get your fine ass out here," he jovially said.

She was momentarily startled, but said, "Okay, sweetie, I'll be right out."

Del nodded and left. But she waited one more moment before she typed:

_I owe Del so much. I am grateful for Sonny and him. _


End file.
